Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Jetwing Vil Uyana opens a ‘Loris Information Centre’, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka

Loris’s are Sri Lanka’s mystical creatures of the night with
their large bulging eyes and tiny limbs. They are the subjects of many tales
that have been retold over the centuries. Hidden in the scrub-forested habitats
of Sri Lanka’s dry zone, the grey slender loris weighs no more
than 300g and emerges from its roost only after dusk to feast on insects,
berries and other fruits. The grey slender loris is highly elusive due to its
nocturnal nature and is threatened by habitat destruction across its range.

The forested nature trail at Jetwing Vil Uyana is
regarded as the best site in Sri Lanka for ‘Loris watching’ with sightings of
grey slender loris occurring virtually every night. They were first seen at
Jetwing Vil Uyana in October 2010 by Resident Naturalist Chaminda Jayasekhara
four years after the hotel opened. Today, there are seven resident Loris found
in the premises and on the 31st May 2012, for the first time, Chaminda
observed a loris with a baby on its back, confirming that the conditions and habitat
at Jetwing Vil Uyana are ideal for the species.

The ‘Loris Information Centre’ was opened in late July 2012
adjoining the nature trail to educate visitors, generate more awareness and aid
the conservation of this endangered and widely misunderstood primate. Jetwing
Vil Uyana also plan to demarcate the nature trail as a Loris conservation site
to ensure that the habitat is protected which will provide a safe refuge for
these endangered primates, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka.Loris watching
excursions are run by Chaminda and are conducted in small groups only with
red-lightemitting torches to prevent any damage to the light sensitive eyes of
the Loris.

Jetwing Vil Uyana, is a rare example in today’s world where
the creation of a hotel has enhanced the natural eco-systems and increased an
area’s biodiversity. Prior to the construction of the hotel in 2004, two years
was spent in creating a wetland eco-system and regenerating previously
neglected agricultural land. Today in addition to Loris, other scarce and
threatened species including Otter, Fishing Cat and Mouse Deer are among 17
species of mammals found in these premises along with close to 100 species of
birds, 36 butterfly species and 21 species of amphibians and reptiles.